Fishing in Stone County, Missouri
Courthouse in Galena. MDC manages its fish from the MDC Southwest Region.
- 1lake pages
- 26ramps
- 4river pages
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Stone County through an angler's eyes
The courthouse town for Stone County is Galena, and the county counted 31,076 people in 2020. Water covers 46.8 square miles here, next to 464 square miles of land. MDC places it within the MDC Southwest Region. Table Rock Lake is shared with Arkansas under the border lakes agreement.
Lake pages count 1 water and 49,720 acres; Table Rock Lake is the biggest of them. Boaters have 26 public ramps on the MDC and Corps maps, 1 flagged as accessible. MDC crews have sunk 1,231 fish attractors in 1 lake and ponds here. For trout, look to Crane Creek.
Census 2020 population and 2023 Gazetteer areas; MDC Managed Public Waterbody outlines, boat ramp/access, dock, jetty and fish attractor layers; USACE ramp layers; retrieved October 2026.
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MDC boat ramp/access and dock layers, USACE ramps, MDC lake label points and MDC stream access areas. Checked October 2026.
Stone County still water ranked by size
| Lake | Acres | Ramps | Motor note | Fish MDC names |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Table Rock Lake | 49,720 | 33 | largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, spotted bass |
From Galena, the next lake pages sit outside Stone County, listed by distance.
| Lake | From Galena | Acres | Ramps | Motor note | Fish MDC names |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Taneycomo | 19 miles southeast | 2,131 | 3 | largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, white bass | |
| Valley Water Mill Lake | 34 miles north | 14 | 0 | largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill | |
| Fellows Lake | 38 miles north | 800 | 1 | 40 hp limit | largemouth bass, spotted bass, crappie |
| Bull Shoals Lake | 44 miles southeast | 44,944 | 9 | largemouth bass, striped bass | |
| Kellogg Lake | 53 miles northwest | 24 | 1 | ||
| Stockton Lake | 56 miles north | 24,945 | 6 | largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, spotted bass |
MDC Managed Public Waterbody outlines (GIS acres), MDC 2026 Fishing Prospects species and boating notes; retrieved October 2026.
What biologists report in lakes by Stone County
Counted across lake pages within 50 miles of Galena, largemouth bass is the fish MDC names most often.
Species named in MDC 2026 Fishing Prospects text, the MDC state record list and MDC trout program waters, counted per lake page within 50 miles; not a full survey.
River pages that cross Stone County
- Crane CreekBlue Ribbon trout area, 23 mi in Missouri
- James Riversmallmouth management water, 6 MDC ramps, 5 access areas, 98 mi in Missouri
- Flat Creek1 MDC ramp, 2 access areas, 55 mi in Missouri
- Finley Creek54 mi in Missouri
Creeks of Stone County still without a page (1)
- Horse Creek1 MDC access area
River readings across Stone County today
| USGS gauge | Latest reading | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| James River At Galena, Mo | 135 cfs, 3.83 ft gage height | Nov 11 6:15 pm |
US Geological Survey provisional data, retrieved Nov 11, 2026 6:33 pm ET. Provisional readings can be revised.
MDC stream access areas and boat ramps, MDC trout and smallmouth management layers, USGS NHD lengths and USGS gauges; retrieved October 2026.
MDC trout water in Stone County
Keeping trout takes a Missouri trout permit on top of the fishing permit: $12 for residents and $24 for nonresidents 16 and older.
Stone County trout segments by ribbon
| Area | Water and segment | Length | Daily | Lures |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Ribbon | Crane Creek: Upstream from Quail Spur Road crossing on Stone County Road 13-195 — 8 miles | At least 18" | 1 | Artificial lures and flies |
MDC trout program statements (2026 regulations booklet, MDC news releases and area pages); MDC publishes no per-water stocking table; trout areas and trout parks as printed in the 2026 regulations booklet pp. 24 to 27.
Putting a boat or a bobber in at Stone County
- H. L. Kerr Access on James RiverJames River, boat ramp, parking
- Hooten Town Access on James RiverJames River, boat ramp, parking
- Ralph Cox Memorial Access on James RiverJames River, boat ramp, accessible, parking, privy nearby
- Aunts Creek ramp on Table Rock LakeTable Rock Lake, concrete ramp, Corps ramp
- Aunts Creek ramp on Table Rock LakeTable Rock Lake, concrete ramp, Corps ramp
- Baxter ramp on Table Rock LakeTable Rock Lake, concrete ramp, Corps ramp
- Baxter ramp on Table Rock LakeTable Rock Lake, concrete ramp, Corps ramp
- Big Bay ramp on Table Rock LakeTable Rock Lake, concrete ramp, Corps ramp
- Big Indian ramp on Table Rock LakeTable Rock Lake, concrete ramp, Corps ramp
- Campbell Point ramp on Table Rock LakeTable Rock Lake, concrete ramp, Corps ramp
- Cape Fair ramp on Table Rock LakeTable Rock Lake, concrete ramp, Corps ramp
- Cape Fair ramp on Table Rock LakeTable Rock Lake, concrete ramp, Corps ramp
- Coombs Ferry ramp on Table Rock LakeTable Rock Lake, concrete ramp, Corps ramp
- Cow Creek ramp on Table Rock LakeTable Rock Lake, concrete ramp, Corps ramp
- Cow Creek ramp on Table Rock LakeTable Rock Lake, concrete ramp, Corps ramp
- Indian Point ramp on Table Rock LakeTable Rock Lake, concrete ramp, Corps ramp
- Joe Bald ramp on Table Rock LakeTable Rock Lake, concrete ramp, Corps ramp
- Mill Creek ramp on Table Rock LakeTable Rock Lake, concrete ramp, Corps ramp
- Old Hwy 86 ramp on Table Rock LakeTable Rock Lake, concrete ramp, Corps ramp
- Port of Kimberling ramp on Table Rock LakeTable Rock Lake, concrete ramp, Corps ramp
- Port of Kimberling ramp on Table Rock LakeTable Rock Lake, concrete ramp, Corps ramp
- Port of Kimberling ramp on Table Rock Lake (east ramp)Table Rock Lake, concrete ramp, Corps ramp
- Port of Kimberling ramp on Table Rock Lake (west ramp)Table Rock Lake, concrete ramp, Corps ramp
- The Harbor ramp on Table Rock LakeTable Rock Lake, concrete ramp, Corps ramp
- The Harbor ramp on Table Rock LakeTable Rock Lake, concrete ramp, Corps ramp
- The Harbor ramp on Table Rock LakeTable Rock Lake, gravel ramp, Corps ramp
Corps of Engineers parks supply 23 of these ramps.
MDC boat ramp/access, fishing dock, jetty and cleaning station layers; USACE Little Rock District ramp layers; retrieved October 2026.
Length and creel limits on Stone County water
The statewide rows apply across Stone County except where MDC prints an exception.
| Species | Limit | Season |
|---|---|---|
| Black bass (largemouth, smallmouth, spotted/Kentucky) | 6 a day | All year |
| Black bass (largemouth, smallmouth, spotted/Kentucky) (Ozark streams) | 6 a day; 12" minimum | May 23, 2026–Feb. 28, 2027 |
| Channel catfish | 10 a day | All year |
| Blue catfish | 5 a day | All year |
| Flathead catfish | 5 a day | All year |
| Crappie (black and white) | 30 a day | All year |
| Goggle-eye (Ozark, rock, and shadow bass) and warmouth | 15 a day; 7" minimum | All year |
| Muskellunge | 1 (daily limit is 1 muskellunge or 1 northern pike); 36" minimum | All year |
| Northern pike | 1 (daily limit is 1 muskellunge or 1 northern pike) | All year |
| Paddlefish (spoonbill) | 2 a day; 32" minimum (eye to fork of tail) | March 15–April 30 |
| Pickerel (chain and grass) | 6 a day | All year |
| Shovelnose sturgeon | 10 a day; 30" maximum (snout to fork of tail) | All year |
| Trout (rainbow and brown) | 4 a day; Rainbow: none; Brown: 15" minimum in streams | All year |
| Walleye and sauger | 4 a day; 15" minimum | All year |
| White, yellow, and striped bass and their hybrids | 15 a day; No more than 4 longer than 18" | All year |
MDC exceptions printed for Stone County (5)
| Water | Where | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Crane Creek | In Stone and Lawrence counties | The use of porous-soled waders is prohibited. See Page 24. |
| Crane Creek | In Stone and Lawrence counties upstream from Quail Spur Crossing on Stone County Road 13-195 | ▶ Blue Ribbon Trout Area — See Page 26 for special regulations. |
| Crane Creek | In Stone and Lawrence counties upstream from Quail Spur Crossing on Stone County Road 13-195 | Only flies and artificial lures may be used, and soft plastic baits and natural and scented baits are prohibited when fishing for any species. |
| Crane Creek | In Stone and Lawrence counties upstream from Quail Spur Crossing on Stone County Road 13-195 | Gigging, bowfishing, and using an atlatl are prohibited, and fish taken by these methods may not be possessed on these waters or their banks. |
| James River | From Hooten Town bridge (the Loop Road at Route O) to the Highway 413/Highway 265 bridge at Galena | Smallmouth bass — 15" minimum length limit. The daily limit of 6 black bass may include only 1 smallmouth bass. |
Limits and seasons as printed in A Summary of Missouri Fishing Regulations 2026 (MDC, effective March 1, 2026), page 20 (booklet PDF); retrieved October 27, 2026. Rules as printed in A Summary of Missouri Fishing Regulations 2026 (MDC, effective March 1, 2026) (booklet PDF, Special Regulations on Large Lakes and on Rivers and Streams); checked against the current Wildlife Code October 27, 2026.
Interstate water next to Stone County
Missouri and Arkansas sell a $10 White River Border Lakes Permit that lets a holder of either state's permit fish Bull Shoals, Norfork and Table Rock across the line.
| Water | Border note |
|---|---|
| Table Rock Lake | 95% of the MDC outline in Missouri |
Border water entries and permit fees as printed in A Summary of Missouri Fishing Regulations 2026 (MDC, effective March 1, 2026); MDC outline shares from MDC GIS.
Record-list catches near Stone County
| Species | Weight | Method | Water | Date | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smallmouth Bass | 4 lbs. 4 oz. | jug line | Table Rock Lake | Sept. 18, 2002 | MDC record list |
| Spotted Bass | 7 lbs. 8 oz. | pole and line | Table Rock Lake | April 6, 1966 | MDC record list |
| Yellow Bass | 2 lbs. 7 oz. | pole and line | Table Rock Lake | May 13, 2026 | MDC news release |
MDC State Record Fish list (first page of 135 records readable) and MDC news releases, retrieved October 2026.
Club and trail events held in Stone County
Of 43 events on file for Stone County, 23 remain on the calendar.
| Date | Event | Water | Organizer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov. 21, 2026 | Joe Bass Table Rock Winter Division 2026-11-21 | Table Rock Lake | Joe Bass Team Trail |
| Dec. 19, 2026 | Joe Bass Table Rock Winter Division 2026-12-19 | Table Rock Lake | Joe Bass Team Trail |
| Jan. 16, 2027 | Joe Bass Table Rock Winter Division 2027-01-16 | Table Rock Lake | Joe Bass Team Trail |
| Feb. 20, 2027 | Joe Bass Table Rock Winter Division 2027-02-20 | Table Rock Lake | Joe Bass Team Trail |
| Feb. 27, 2027 | Anglers in Action Table Rock Lake Stop #1 (2027) | Table Rock Lake | Midwest Fish Tournaments |
| March 6, 2027 | Fishers of Men Missouri Ozarks Table Rock Lake (2027-03-06) | Table Rock Lake | Fishers of Men National Tournament Trail |
| March 19, 2027 | Big Bass Tour Table Rock Lake (2027) | Table Rock Lake | Bass Pro Shops/Cabela's Big Bass Tour |
| March 20, 2027 | Joe Bass Table Rock Winter Division 2027-03-20 | Table Rock Lake | Joe Bass Team Trail |
| Sept. 12, 2026 | Joe Bass Table Rock Summer Division 2026-09-12 | Table Rock Lake | Joe Bass Team Trail |
| Sept. 9, 2026 | Joe Bass Antique Division 2026-09-09 | Table Rock Lake | Joe Bass Team Trail |
| Aug. 8, 2026 | Joe Bass Table Rock Summer Division 2026-08-08 | Table Rock Lake | Joe Bass Team Trail |
| Aug. 5, 2026 | Joe Bass Antique Division 2026-08-05 | Table Rock Lake | Joe Bass Team Trail |
Organizer schedule and results pages (MDC publishes no tournament calendar), checked October 2026.
Bait, marinas and guides around Stone County
Stores that keep Stone County anglers supplied
- Early Bird Bait & Tackle Distributorbait and tackle shop, Reeds Spring
- Focused Fishing Guide Svcbait and tackle shop, Kimberling City
- Nordic Way Tube Fliesbait and tackle shop, Reeds Spring
- Ot Bait & Tacklebait and tackle shop, Kimberling City
- Ozark Thunder Marine Incbait and tackle shop, Kimberling City
- Ozarks Bait & Tacklebait and tackle shop, Kimberling City
- Ozarks Extreme Outdoorsbait and tackle shop, Branson
- Baxter Boat Dockmarina, Lampe
- Campbell Point Marinamarina, Shell Knob
- Cape Fair Marina, 1500 Shadrack Rdmarina, Cape Fair
- Cape Fair Marina, 142 Sturgis Lnmarina, Reeds Spring
- Collier's Boat Dock Hardwaremarina, Kimberling City
- James River Dock Servicesmarina, Galena
- MarineMax Incmarina, Kimberling City
- Port of Kimberling Marinamarina, Kimberling City
- Table Rock Marinamarina, Branson
- The Harbor on Table Rock Lakemarina, Branson
- What's Up Dock Marinamarina, Kimberling City
Guide services listing Stone County
- Capt Rick's Fishing Guidescharter, Branson, (417) 861-3899
- Fishin' With Skeetercharter, Kimberling City, (417) 739-9030
- Focused Fishing Guide Svccharter, Kimberling City, (417) 860-4743
- Hook's Table Rock Fishingcharter, Table Rock Lake, Reeds Spring, (417) 338-2277
- Mid-Lakes Guide Servicecharter, Reeds Spring, (417) 239-7374
- Table Rock Guide Servicecharter, Table Rock Lake, Kimberling City, (417) 335-1867
Yellow Pages and chain store listings, guide listings (county of business); retrieved October 2026.
Neighbouring Stone County
Towns with fishing pages in Stone County
- Kimberling Citypop. 2,344
- Cranepop. 1,495
- Reeds Springpop. 1,136
Neighbouring counties of Stone County
- Barry County21 miles west
- Christian County22 miles northeast
- Taney County24 miles east
- Lawrence County32 miles northwest
Reels from Piscifun worth bringing to Stone County
Piscifun and Amazon links are affiliate links; the site earns a commission on qualifying purchases.
Photo guide to fish at Stone County
Photo: USFWS Mountain Prairie, Public domain
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Photo: Nick Tobler (Cowturtle), CC BY 4.0
Photo: USFWS Mountain Prairie, Public domain
Photo: MONGO, CC BY-SA 3.0
What Show-Me anglers ask about Stone County
How many MDC and Corps ramps serve Stone County?
26 public ramps appear above, 1 flagged accessible by MDC.
Which MDC outline in Stone County holds the most surface acres?
Table Rock Lake, at 49,720 acres on its MDC outline.
Which fish turn up most in Stone County area lakes?
Largemouth bass lead the count of lake pages within 50 miles that MDC reports name, followed by black crappie, bluegill and crappie.
Which Stone County stores keep jigs and line in stock?
18 in all, starting with Early Bird Bait & Tackle Distributor.
Can a visitor book a paid fishing guide out of Stone County?
6 guides and charters run trips from a local address.
Which town houses the Stone County courthouse square?
The seat is Galena.
What will a visitor from out of state pay to fish Stone County?
Plan on $14 as a resident, $57 from out of state, or $9 for a day permit; residents 65 and older and anglers under 16 are exempt. Keeping trout adds a $12 trout permit for residents. For the White River border lakes, a $10 border permit extends fishing into the Arkansas portion.
Which neighbours share a line with Stone County?
The list above starts with Barry County, Christian County and Taney County.
What MDC region is Stone County in?
Fish management goes to the MDC Southwest Region.
What tournaments run in Stone County?
43 events on file; next is Joe Bass Table Rock Winter Division 2026-11-21 on Table Rock Lake, Nov. 21, 2026.
Is any Stone County water under a special rule?
The 2026 booklet prints 5 special-regulation bullets naming this area, starting with Crane Creek; the table above shows each.
Where are the trout in Stone County?
Crane Creek; MDC trout rules for each are on the linked pages.
Did Stone County water produce a state record?
Smallmouth Bass, 4 lbs. 4 oz., from Table Rock Lake.
Pick an MDC lake in Stone County
Every ramp opens with directions.